Snipping attachment for folding machines



y 1930. J. .1. MASTERSON 1,771,092

SNIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR FOLDING MACHINES Filed March 13, 1929 2 SheetsSheet 1 Fig.1. 3S 33 38 37 32 34 48 lnvenToT. dohn \J. Masrerson bym ATT yb.

y 22, 3 J. J. MASTERSON 1,771,092

SNIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR FOLDING MACHINES Filed March 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTor.

\John \J. MusTerson 'AfTys.

Patented July 22, 1930 STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. MASTERSON, OF EAST WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES RAYMOND, OF EAST WEYMQUTI-I, MASSACHUSETTS snrrrme ATTACHMENT non FOLDING MACHINES Application filed March 13, 1929. Serial No. 34,582.

This invention relates to a snipping attachment for foldlng machines. In the manufacture of shoes it'is more or less customary to'apply a binding strip to the edge of some of the upper pieces. This is usually done by sewing one edge of the binding strip to one edge of the upper piece and then folding the binding over said edge thereby to give a finished edge, said binding strip frequently having a coating of adhesive applied thereto so that when itis folded over the edgeof the upper piece it will adhere to the back face of the upper. Most of the pieces forming the upper of a shoe have curved edges or corners,

and in applying the binding tosuch curved edges it is customary for the'operator to slit the binding at the curved portions or corners so that it will lie flat when it isfolded.

This slitting of the binding isusually done e by hand, the operator cutting the necessary .or snipping'attachment to the folder which operates automatically to slit the binding as the folding is being carried on so that the slitting and folding operations are performed simultaneously.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the'drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be describedfafter which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

a Fig. 1 is a viewof a portion of'a foldingmachine having my slitting attachment applied thereto; V 1 Fig. 2 is an endview of Fig. 1; V g

Fig. 3is' a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 illustrates a piece'of upperleather with the binding sewed thereto but before the folding operation is performed;

' Fig. 6 is a-view illustrating'the manner in which the binding is folded over the edge of the upper;

Fig. 7 shows a portion of the binding applied to a re-entrant angle and illustrating how theslitting of the binding facilitates the folding operation; I g r Fig.'8 is a fragmentary view showing a 'modified form of the invention, in which means are provided for manually rendering the slitting attachment operative or inoperativeat the will ofthe operator;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of Fig. 8;

" Fig. 10 is a view similarto Fig. 7 but showing slit binding folded over a corner of the Wor I; I

Inasmuch as the invention relates to a slitting attachment for a folding machine I have not thoughtit necessary to illustrate herein a complete folding machine but have only shown a sufficient portion thereof to enable the invention to be understood."

It might be stated, however, that the type-of folding machine to which this invention is applied is that in which the folding is done progressively. As illustrating the type of work which is doneon such a folding machine I refer to Figs. 5 and 6. 'InFig. 5, 1 indicates a piece of sheet material; such for instance as one'of the pieces of the upper of a shoe. This sheet material has a binding strip or tape 2 sewed thereto along one edge as indicated by the stitches 3. Thefolding'machine to which this slitting attachment is applied is adapted to fold the binding 2 over and aroundthe edge of the piece '1 thereby giving said piece 1 a finished edge.

Thisoperation is shown in Fig. 6 wherein the binding 2 is shown as turned up around theedge 4 and then as having its free edge 5 "folded down against what is thetop face of the sheet 1 in Fig. 6, this face being that which is opposite the face to which'thej binding strip 2 is originally sewed. The binding strip 2. is shown as having a coating of adhesivefi applied toone face thereof along the edge 5 so that when'the binding strip is folded over the edge 4 of'the piece land is pressed against what is the upper face of said sheet 1 in Fig. 6 the free edge of the strip 2 will adhere to said face. In this way the edge 4 of the piece l is given afinish.

This construction isquite commonly used ilk in the manufacture of shoes and also in the manufacture of other articles where it is desired to apply a binding to the edge of sheet material. Sometimes the edge 4 is either conveXly or concavely curved or it may present the sharply re-entrant angle as shown by the angle 7 in Fig. 7 or may be a projecting angle as shown by the angle 8 in Fig. 10.

In order that the binding 2 may be folded "flatly over a curved surface or a re-entrant angle or a projecting angle without causing either undue stretching or puckering of the binding it is usually customary to slit the free edge of the binding strip 2 at the curved surface or at the angle and as stated above my invention provides means whereby this may be automatically done.

Inasmuch as the operation of a folding machine of this type is well known I have thought it sufficient to illustrate only the por tion of the folding machine to which my improvement is applied.

In the drawings 9 indicates the portion of the bed of a folding machine which is provided with a work support 10 over which the work 1 is fed. The work is fed over the work support by means of a walking foot 11 which cooperates with a feed roll 12 which is mounted on the bed 9 and is freely rotatable. The walking foot 11 has a movement toward and from the bed and also a lateral movement, and in the operation of the machine said foot is first depressed into engagement with the work and then is moved to the left into the dotted line position Fig. 2 thereby stepping the work forward, after which said foot is raised and then returned to the position shown in full lines Fig. 2'. This continued'operation steps the work forward intermittently, as will be readily understood.

The work is introduced into the folding machine by the operator with the tape or strip 2 partially folded and in the upstanding position shown in Fig. 6 and the folding'of the free edge 5 of the strip down onto the face of the work 1 is accomplishedby the folding element 13 which is shaped to perform this operation as the work is fed forward, as clearly seen in Fig. 6.

14 is a guide which is situated in advance of the folderand serves to assist in guiding the work properly to the folder, this guide acting on the inside face of the upstanding binding strip 2. After the free edge 5 of the bindingstrip 2 has been folded down againstthe face of the work 1 then it is caused to adhere to the work by the action of'a presser foot 15, said presser foot having an intermittent vertical motion so that it acts to pound the free edge of the tape down against the surface of the work as the folding proceeds. This presser foot is shown as carried by'an arm 16 pivotally mounted on the frame at 17 and the arm 16 has rig-id therewith another arm 18 which is controlled as to its position partly by the spring 19 and partly by a rock shaft 20 which oscillates in timed relation with the movement of the walking foot 11. This shaft 20 has a projection 21 thereon which engages a set screw 22 carried by the lever 18.

When the shaft 20 is rocked slightly in a clockwise direction Fig. 2 the projection 21 will engage the screw 22 and thus move the arm 18 backwardly against the action of the spring 19 thereby raising the presser foot 15 from the work and when the shaft 20 oscillates in the opposite direction the spring 19 will bring the presser foot down onto the work again. This vibrating movement of the presser foot is in timed relation with the movement of the walking foot 11 so that when the foot 11 is in engagement with the work and is being fed forward the presser foot 15 is raised, while when the walking foot 11 is in its elevated posit-ion the presser foot is resting against the work. By these movements the presser foot provides a continual pounding action on the folded edge 5 of the tape 2 thereby securing it in place.

Inasmuch as the folding machines of this type are well known to those skilled in the art it has not seemed necessary to further illustrate or describe it.

My improved slitting attachment is de signed to operate on the free edge 5 of the binding strip 2 while it is in an upright position, or in a position at substantially right angles to the plane of the work 1, as shown in Fig. 6, and just before said upstanding edge is foldeddown against the upper face of the work.

The slitting device comprises two slitting blades 23, 24 having co-operating cutting edges which extend upwardly from the plane of the work and when the blades are open or separated they form between them a passage through which the upstanding edge 5 of the binding strip 2 may pass. These two blades have a relative movement in a direction parallel to the plane of the work thereby to form a plurality of slits 25 in the upstanding portion of the binding as clearly seen in Fig. 6. V

In the construction herein shown the blade '23 is a stationary blade and the blade 24 is a movable blade. The blade 23 has'rigid'therewith a shank portion 26 which is received in a sleeve 27 carried by a holder 28 that is secured to the bed 9 by suitable screws '29.

holder 28. The portion 33 of the stem 31 which extends through the sleeve is flatsided,

cross section. H

oneside thereof resting against the fiat side a of the shank 26. The righthand end 34 of the stem 31 in Fig. 1 is shown ascircular in This spring is indicated at 37 and is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the portion 34 of thes'tem 31 and situatedbetween the bearing32 and a collar 38 which is fast on said stem. i

Means are provided for intermittently giving the blade 24 its cutting movement, which is amovement to the right Fig. 1 into the dotted line position. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3this cutting movement of the blade 24is produced by a lever 39 pivoted to the bed at 40, and connected at its upper end to the end 34 of the 'stem3l and at its lower end being'acted upon by a suitable cam 41cjarried by a shaft'42 with which the machine is provided. This cam 41 has the flat face 43 and the rise 44. The lever 39 is shown as providedat its lower end with a roll whichengages thecam face of the cammember"41. 1 I a When the roll is. operating on the flat face 43 the cutter will be held open by the-spring 37 but when'the rise 44 of the cam engages the roll 45 thelever 39 will be swung into the dotted line position Fig. l'thereby' giving the cutter blade 24 its cutting movement.

As the rise 44of the cam passes out from under the roll 45' the spring 37 will return the cutter blade24 to its normal or open position. The shaft 42 will be rotated in timed relation with the other movements of the machine so that the cutting movement of the blade 24 will occur while the work is at rest,

' that is, while the presser foot 15 is in engagement with the work and while the walking foot- 11 is raised from the work.

The cam surface 44 is so designed that the cutting movement of the blade 24will be a relatively quick one. r

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the end of the stem is slotted as shown at 46 to receive the upper end of the lever 39 and said lever is connected to the stem through a pin 47 which extends through the stem and lever.

a slot 48 through which'the pin extends in order to prevent any possibile binding of the parts during operation. In this construction the lever 39 is permanently connected to 1 'z' the stem 31 so that the cutter will operate its upper end as shown at 50 and is provided Said lever is provided with continuouslywhile the machine is in operation. 1

1 In Figs. 8 and 9 I have illustrated a construction which provides for disconnecting the cutter from its actuating mechanism at the will of the operator and without stopping the machine so that when the folding is proceeding along astraight edge the slitting attachment may be thrown out of operation while when passing along a curved edge said 3 slitting attachment may be thrown into operation. In this embodiment the operating lever, which is shown at ,49 and which corresponds to the lever 39in Fig.1, isoffset at at said end with a hub or hearing 51 in which is slidably mounted a coupling pin x52i'that is adaptedto engage in a recess 53 formed in the end 34 of the stem'31. This lever 49 has an arm 54 pivoted to it at 55, said arm being forked at its upper end and-said forked end being received in a groove 56 formed in the coupling pin 52.- With this arrangement the swinging movement of the arm 54 from the full to the dotted line position Fig. 8 will withdraw the pin from the recess 53 and thus uncouple the lever 49 from the stem 31.

The arm 54 is shown as acted on by a spring 57 which normally holds the parts in the full line position Fig- 8 with the pin 52 in its operative position. This arm 54 is providedwith a finger or extensioni58 to which is connected a flexible connection 59 leading a to a treadle 60, the connection extending down through a guide eye 61 in an arm'62 which extends from the pivot of the arm 49. With this arrangement it'will be seen'that if the treadle 60 is depressed the coupling pin 52 will be withdrawn from the' recess 53 thereby disrupting the operative connection between thelever 49 and the cutter and when this is done the cutter will automatically assume the open POSltlOII'SllOWII in Fig. 1 by the action ofthespring37. So long as the treadle 60' is depressed, therefore,: thecutter will be inoperative; When it is desired to throw the cutter into operation the operator merely takes his foot off the treadle 'GO and when this occurs the spring 57 will swing the arm 54 and the pin 52 forwardly and the pin will snap into the recess 53 thus coupling the cutterto its actuatingmechanisin. With this arrangement the lever 49 is continuously vibrating but when the tre'adle 60 is released theend of the coupling pin 52'will be brought against the end 34 of the stem 31 and as said pinwibrates it will snap into the re, cess 53 as above described when the :pin comes opposite the recess. .Thiscoupling and" uncoupling of. the cutter to its operative mechanism can be accomplishedatlany-"time at the will of the operator ping the machine. 1

65' indicates a stop projection' oii the .end

34 ofthestem 31 which co-operates with the and without: stopport thereby to produce slits in bearing 32 to limit-the spring-impelled move ment of the cutter blade 24.

The cutter blades 23, 2a are preferably placed at an incline so that the slits 25 will stand at an angle to the edge of the binding 2. It will be noted that the cutting blades extend upwardly and rearwardly so that the slit portions of the edge of the binding incline backwardly. This has the advantage that it facilitates the folding operation as the trailing face of the slit portions enables them to be folded over readily .without danger of their becoming puckered. This slit edge of the binding can be folded evenly over theedge 4 ofthe work regardless of the contour of said edge. If the edge 4 has there-entrant angle 7 'as shown in Fig. 7 then the slits in the tape 2 will allow the slit edge of thebinding to expand or open up as shown at 68 so that the binding will lie flat and smooth around the re-entrant angle. On the other hand, if the angle is a protruding'angle as shown at 8 in Fig. 10, then the slits 25 allow the tongues 64 which are formed by the slits to overlie each other and thus produce a smooth folded edge without puckers. Similarly, on convex or concave edges the slitting as shown allows the binding to be smoothly folded regardless of the contour of the edge. Since the slit is automatically done by the machine it is not necessary fonthe operator to stop the machine to manually slit the binding before carrying the folding operation around or into a corner or along a curved edge.

I claim: I

1. The combination with a work'support for supporting the work to be operated on, of means for intermittently feeding work having a binding strip secured thereto at one edge, means for folding said strip around said edge as the work is fed, two slitting knives between which one edge of said strip passes when the strip mm a partially folded position, and means to give'said'knives a relative movement in a direction parallel to the supporting surface of the work support thereby to produce slits in the edge of the'tape.

2. The combination-with a work support,

of means for intermittently feeding work supported thereon'which has a binding strip secured thereto at one edge, means forfolding said strip around the edge of the work as the latter is feed, a pair of slitting blades between which the partially folded strip passes one of said blades being stationary, an

means to actuate the otherblade in a direction parallel to the plane of the work supthe edge of the strip.

3. The combination with a work support, means for intermittently feeding work having a binding strip secured'thereto at one edge and means for folding said strip around said edge as'the work isfed, of two slitting knives having co-operating slitting edges extending upwardly at an angle to the plane of the work and forming between them a passage through which the free edge of the strip may pass when it is in a position at substantially right angles to the plane of the work, and means for giving said knives a relative movement parallel to the work support thereby to form slits in said edge of the work.

4. The combination with a work support, means for intermittently feeding work having a binding strip secured thereto at one edge and means for folding said strip around said edge as the work is fed, of two slitting knives having co-operatmg slitting edges extendmg upwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the work and forming between them a passage through which the free edge portion of the strip may pass when it is partial ly folded and is in a position at right angles to the planeof the WOIlQHHCl means for giving said knives a relative movement parallel to the work support thereby to cut slits in said partially folded edgeportion which extend at an acute angle to said edge.

5. The combination with a work support, means for intermittently feeding over said work support work having a bindin strip secured thereto at one edge and for f olding said strip around said edge as the work is fed, of two slitting knives having co-operating slitting edges extending upwardly at an angle to the plane of the work, and forming between them a passage through which the free edge of the strip may pass when it is in a partially folded condition, and a cam device situated beneath the work support for moving the knives relatively in a direction parallel to the work support thereby to form slits in the edge of the strip.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN J. MASTERSON. 

